M816 Wrecker Question

[DeeMan6996]

Hi,
I have the oppurtunity to buy an m816 wrecker. I have wanted a wrecker for quite some time but never really seen any in my budget range. Until today I got a call from a friend says he knows someone with an m816. I have an m923 that I own in Missouri that I need to get towed back to my home town in Iowa. I was wondering if the m816 would have enough power and grunt to haul my m923 all the way back from Missouri to Northwest Iowa? Its around a 9 hour trip going 80 and I'm sure that If I was going 50 it would take 13-14 hours or even more. Does anyone have any experience hauling a 20k load in their m816? Is this too much for a m816 to haul and do I risk it? If I would should I take breaks every so often to make sure nothing is getting hot?

Thanks for the help, Derek

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Figure 35mph and 2-3mpg for a moving average. A m923 is pretty heavy for an m816. You are asking a nhc 250 to pull 36k plus 22k.

Not to be rude, but unless you are prepared to go though the m816 with a fine tooth comb and spend time and big bucks to make it absolutely road worthy and as dependible as possible, I recommend you not attempt it.

Also wrecker insurance is high to say the least.

 

[Floridianson]

As said slow and yes I have pulled that weight behind my 816. Myself I don't lift tow if I don't have too, but for saftey I hook the wiffle tree and tow bar off the axle also chains run correct from tow to tow E. You will need tow lights to the tow. Make shure you have working air to the tow brakes or bring a couple change of underware. Don't brake in a turn and don't get in any hurry.

 

[DeeMan6996]

Yeah that's true I never thought of insurance quite yet. I was just wondering if anyone has attempted anything like this. Idk if I will do this but I'm gonna have to visit this m816 before I make my decision. Thanks for your input!

 

[wreckerman893]

The two best days of my M816 ownership was the day I got it and the day I sold it.

It was the money pit from ell from the word go. I take full responsibility since I bought it out of Camp Shelby, MS (a rebuild facility known for parting out trucks) and did not inspect it.

If you want a wrecker spend the extra money and get an M936. I have one on loan and it is similar to a maxi-pad....not the greatest thing in the world, but right up there next to it.

I use it for the rotator boom because (a) It is slow as it sits and putting anything behind it makes it a toad in the road. (b) To legally tow with it you have to have commercial tow insurance and you can't afford it. Trust me, I had a long conversation with my agent at Progressive and the only thing I could tow was pintle hitch trailers. (c) It is a lot easier to operate than the M816.

Unless you just want one to have around the yard (and they are very handy) my advice is to take the money you were going to spend on the wrecker and use it to have the truck shipped home.

Just my , your mileage may vary.

 

[DeeMan6996]

Well ****, I guess that does mean I should just have it towed then. Still tempting to by to keep around the yard anyway thanks again I believe I'll just have my truck towed. Who knows if he's selling the m816 for a good price I may keep it a while and sell it. Is there a good market for these? I saw Oshkosh equipment has a couple but those are reconditioned ones. Thanks for the help again!

 

[STLvortac]

Just curious, did you win one of the recent M923's on GL from St. Louis?

 

[DeeMan6996]

Haha yeah I did and mine is sitting outside the base...

 

[Floridianson]

Also for another safe thing to do with the Wreckers is there is a hole on the end of your boom. Get the correct size shackle that will fit throught it. From there you run a safty chain down to the wiffle tree loop ring. Then you have a double safty. The cable from boom to wiffle tree and the boom to wiffle tree incase the cable breakes on the boom.

 

[DeeMan6996]

Did you see it?

 

[STLvortac]

I can take the long way home in the next few days and check. lol